Improvement in breech-loading cannon



' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'. J. H. MERRILL.

.Breach-Loading Ordnance. No, 23,306 v Patemed Mar. 22, H552)` MFETERS,PHOTO-UTHOGRAPHER WASHINGTON. D.Cy

UNrrED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAS. H. MERRILL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENTl IN BREECH-LOADING CANNON. A

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 23,306, dated March 22,1859.

To all who-m, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs H. MERRILL, of the city and county ofBaltimore, and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Breech-Loading Cannons; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the constructionand operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making a part of this specication, in which- Figure lrepresents a perspectiveview of the gun with the breech run up to thebarrel. Fig. 2 represents a top plan ofthe same, and Fig. 8 represents aside view with the breech run back and dropped for loading it.

Similar letters of reference, where they occur in the separate figures,denote like parts in all of them.

For cheapness of construction, as well as to have the requisite strengthand lightness, I make the barrel and frame of the gun of castiron, andthe breech of wrought-iron. This disposition of the two kinds of metalmakes the gun strong where strength is essential, and so reduces t-he.size of the breech as to keep the frame which surrounds it withinreasonable limits, while it has the necessary strength to sustain thebreech at all times.

A represents the barrel of the gun, and B the frame in .rear of thebarrel. These two parts, as well as the trunnions a, that support thegun on its carriage, are of east-iron or other cast metal.

C is the breech. It is made of wroughtiron, so that it shall havestrength to resist the discharge, and be small enough to come within aframe that will give symmetry to the gun. This breech is bored out t0receive the charge, and has a projecting iiange, b, at the mouth of thebore that slips into and snugly fits within the rear of the bore of thebarrel A, to make a tight joint. On this breech are trunnions c, thatrest in slots d, cut through the frame B, so that the breech can be runback and forth horizontally on said frame; but it is necessary, also,that when the breech Gis run back to receive the charge its forward endshould tip up, so that its chamber can be readily got at; and it must beas readily returned toits horizontal position to be again run up to thebarrel before the piece is discharged. To effect these objectsmechanically, I arrange as follows: Through the rear piece of the frameI pass a screw-shank, D,

which runs in a female thread in said rear piece. On the end ofthis'shank D there is a button or flange, e, behind which the two saidarms straddling the screw-shank. The rear end of the screw-shank D isfurnished with hand-levers E, for working it, and a cam, g, is formed onthe face of the screw-head, which works a bent lever, F, pivoted to theunder side of the frame B. To one arm of this bent lever F isattachedone end of a con-y necting-bar, G, the-.other end thereof beingattachedto an arm, H, which has connected to ita lever, I, that passes under apin, 7L, near the rear end of the breech-piece C, so that when the pointi of the bent lever F. runs down upon the cam g'toward the screw-shankit lets down the lever I and the breech-piece resting upon it by its pinh. XVhen thescrewshank is reversed, the cam g runs the end of the bentlever outward, and, reversing the action ofthe lever I, raises up therear of the breech-piece, and the end of the screw, pressing against it,forces it up tight against the barrel A of the gun. In dropping orraising the breech-piece, there is' nothing more required than must bedone to run said breechpiece forward and back. That the breechpiece mayswing` clear and work uniformly, there are curved grooves k cut in thetwo opposite inside faces of the frame B, into which, at the propertime, two guide-pins, m, in the breech-piece drop, and thus let it down.When the breech-piece is raised up and run forward, the pins m rise ontop of the frame A and then hold it in a horizontal position.

Havingthus fully described the nature and object of my invention, what Iclaim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Pat: ent, is

l. The combination of the breech-piece and frame, so that the former maymove bacleaud" 'Y forth, and have its bore raised upfafn/d lowered onthe latter automatieallygand fastened or locked, substantially as hereindescribed.

2. In combination with the screw for runf ning the breech-piece forwardand back, the mechanism for lowering and raising the rear of saidbreech-piece, substantially as described.

JAMES H. MERRILL.

Witnesses:

Trios. H. UPPERMAN, E. COHEN.

